


Talking Bird

by A_Modern_Girl



Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Episode: s01e11 State of Flux, Female Friendship Gone Haywire, Fight Scene, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-01-19
Packaged: 2021-03-17 05:55:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28844178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_Modern_Girl/pseuds/A_Modern_Girl
Summary: A missing scene from the end of “State of Flux.” Seska has just been exposed as the traitor, but she must face one more trial before she joins the Kazon.
Relationships: Seska & B'Elanna Torres
Comments: 7
Kudos: 11
Collections: Voyager Writing Game Prompts





	Talking Bird

**Author's Note:**

> For the prompt "every good Star Trek villain deserves a good fight scene" I decided to revisit my love of Seska. Thank you Caladenia for the coaching on point-of-view which got this story on track. And a huge thank you to Curator, who beta'd at warp speed and made this story so much better. Now we join the action in Sickbay…

“Computer, command XJL.”

I gave Chakotay one last glare as I dematerialized. That old lug was nothing but dead weight. I would miss his broad shoulders and warm hands, but not his lack of drive and vision. Soon, he would be far behind me.

But something went wrong. 

When I rematerialized, there was no stench of neglected air filters and desperation. Where there should have been rusted bulkheads, there was a shiny, new transporter pad. I was still on Voyager.

“Don’t move, bitch.” 

B’Elanna stood at the transporter room controls, her features contorted in fury. Her hair was a mess and her uniform was stained with grease. It was my bad luck — B’Elanna must have been scrubbing the transporter buffers just as I invoked my secret command protocol. At least it was someone I knew, and someone who thought they knew me. I locked my eyes on B’Elanna’s and gave her my most pitiful look.

“B’Elanna, reinstate my transporter coordinates,” I implored, “I can’t live like this. I need to be free.”

That argument may have worked on my Maquis comrade and supposed best friend, but the Starfleet chief engineer in front of me wasn’t having it. 

“Is that what this is about? Freedom? What about your responsibility to this crew?”

I felt my lips curl in disgust. Apparently, a couple passionate speeches from Janeway made B’Elanna think she knew all about duty and loyalty. She had no idea what real commitment was, or what it could cost. A tiny part of me hoped she would never find out.

B’Elanna stepped out from behind the console, and I saw my chance — B’Elanna wasn’t armed. All I had to do was get to the transporter controls, then my escape would be complete. I lunged from the pad and tackled her onto the deck.

B’Elanna went down with a grunt followed by a snarl of rage. She grabbed a handful of my hair and yanked so hard that I cried out. I needed to end the fight before someone in the corridor heard us. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw B’Elanna’s fist headed straight for my nose.

Her arm never reached its target. My Obsidian Order training was no match for the playground brawling B’Elanna thought had prepared her for the Maquis. There was a pop as I dislocated B’Elanna’s shoulder, and a thud of finality when I landed a kick on her midsection. B’Elanna curled in a ball and keened. She was feisty, no doubt, but she was an engineer, not a soldier.

“You’re right about one thing,” I said as I keyed in the commands, “This isn’t about freedom. What do you miss about the Alpha Quadrant, B’Elanna? Joe Carey misses his kids. Harry Kim misses his clarinet. You know what I miss? My future. I was going to be extracted from the hellhole that was the Val Jean. When Cardassia pulled me out, I was going to be a Gul, maybe even a Legate. This isn’t about freedom. It’s about reclaiming my destiny.”

B’Elanna coughed. “I can’t believe I ever trusted you.”

I needed to go, but a wave of pity washed over me. B’Elanna, with her innocent camaraderie, had shielded me from suspicion for so long. It was perfectly normal for me to feel some affection for her.

“That’s good,” I purred. “You’re learning. Be careful out there, B’Elanna.”

I could see the contempt in her eyes as I took my place on the transporter pad. Even so, I left her with a warning before the transporter whisked me away.

“If you ever call me a bitch again, I’ll slit your throat.”


End file.
